Theophylline antigens and antibodies

ABSTRACT

Theophylline derivatives are provided for preparing reagents for use in competitive protein binding assays and for use as reagents in competitive protein binding assays. Theophylline is substituted at the 3 position and conjugated to antigens for production of antibodies which specifically recognize theophylline as distinct from structurally similar analogs such as caffeine. Enzyme conjugates are provided which find use for measuring the amount of theophylline in a sample suspected of containing theophylline. A method is provided employing the reagents for the determination of theophylline.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine) is a drug commonly used in thetreatment of asthma, hypertension and nephrotic edema. At elevatedplasma levels, theophylline will sometimes produce nausea and serioustoxic effects may occur at high plasma concentrations ranging from about25-70μg/ml. Serum theophylline shows considerable individual variationin patients, due to wide differences in the extent of metabolism andsecretion as well as fluctuations during dosing intervals in the rate ofabsorption and distribution. With infants, the problems are furtherexacerbated, due to the infants low body fluid level.

In view of the serious side effects as a result of elevated serumtheophylline levels, it is important that sensitive techniques beprovided for monitoring theophylline levels. The technique should berapid, accurate, and readily distinguish theophylline from its normalmetabolites and widely prevalent analogs, such as xanthine and caffeine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,690,834, 3,817,837, 3,850,752, and 3,766,162, and thereferences cited therein, describe a series of different immunoassays.The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,837 describing a homogeneousenzyme immunoassay is incorporated herein by reference. Synthesis ofxanthine derivatives may be found in Advances in Heterocyclic Chemists1966 Vol. VI, Lister et al, Rev. Pure & Applied Chem. (Australia). Seealso U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,517,410 and 2,673,848, as well as Holmes andLeonard, J. Org. Chem. 41 568 (1976) and Cavalieri et al, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 76, 1119 (1954) for the preparation of xanthene derivatives.Rasmussen and Leonard, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 89 5439 (1967) discloses theuse of pivaloyloxymethyl as a protecting group.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Theophylline derivatives are conjugated to antigens and enzymes. Theantigenic theophylline conjugates are employed for the production ofantibodies for specific recognition of theophylline. The enzymesconjugates are employed in competitive protein binding assays for thedetermination of theophylline, particularly in serum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The subject invention concerns 3-substituted-1-methyl-xanthines, whichincludes precursors, antigens for the preparation of antibodies totheophylline and enzyme conjugates which find use in competitive proteinbinding assays. The 3-substituent involves a short chain, usually, butnot necessarily, involving a non-oxocarbonyl group, including thenitroger and sulfur analogs thereof, joined to a poly(amino acid), whichencompasses both natural and synthetic polypeptides, proteins and theircombinations with prosthetic groups. The poly(amino acids) of particularinterest are antigens and enzymes. The linking group may be ahydrocarbon group, that will normally have from 1 to 4 heteroatoms,which are oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur, involved in the linking chain orbonded to carbon atoms in the chain. Usually, the chain will be of fromabout 1 to 10 atoms other than hydrogen, more usually from about 2 to 6atoms other than hydrogen.

For the most part, the poly(amino acid) derivatives employed in thisinvention will have the following formula; ##STR1## wherein:

PAA refers to a poly(amino acid), particularly antigens and enzymes,wherein the antigens will normally be from about 5,000 to 10,000,000molecular weight, more usually from about 10,000 to 500,000 molecularand preferably from about 25,000 to 300,000; while enzymes will normallybe from about 10,000 to 600,000 molecular weight, more usually fromabout 10,000 to 300,000 molecular weight, and preferably from about10,000 to 200,000 molecular weight;

n is the number of xanthine groups bonded to PAA and will be on theaverage at least 1 and up to the molecular weight of PAA divided by1,500, more usually divided by 2,000; for antigens n will be generallyon the average from 4 to 250, more usually from about 6 to 100; whilefor enzymes, n will generally be from about 1 to 30, more usually fromabout 2 to 20, and preferably from about 2 to 12; and

R is a linking group which may be a bond, but is normally of from 1 to12, more usually from 2 to 10 atoms other than hydrogen which arecarbon, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, generally having from 0 to 1 sitesof aliphatic unsaturation, usually ethylenic, and wherein oxygen will bepresent normally solely bonded to carbon i.e. ether or non-oxocarbonyl,nitrogen will be present as amido or tertiary-amino, and sulfur will bepresent as thioether or thiono; usually only oxygen and nitrogen will bepresent; R may be aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic or combinationsthereof, but will normally be aliphatic having not more than one site ofaliphatic unsaturation e.g. ethylenic, and preferably saturatedaliphatic.

The compounds prepared in accordance with this invention will be free orsubstantially free of xanthine substituted at the 7 and 8 positions. Forthe purpose of this invention, it is necessary that the products besolely 3-xanthine substituted.

For the most part, R groups will have the following formula: ##STR2##wherein:

X and X¹ may be the same or different and are oxygen, imino(NH) orsulfur, particularly oxygen or imino;

T and T¹ may be the same or different and may be a bond, a hydrocarbonradical of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, more usually of from 1 to 4 carbonatoms, having a total of from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, more usually of from1 to 6 carbon atoms, generally aliphatic, and preferably saturatedaliphatic, particularly methylene or polymethylene, or T¹ may behydrocarbylamino where the nitrogen is bonded to (CX¹) wherein saidhydrocarbyl group has the same limitation as for said hydrocarbonradical;

Y is a bond, amido or oxy;

m and p are integers of from 0 to 1, preferably p being 1 and m being 0,wherein CX is bonded to the xanthine and CX¹ is bonded to the poly(aminoacid).

(By hydrocarbyl is intended an organic radical composed solely ofhydrogen and carbon, which may be aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic orcombinations, saturated or unsaturated. For this invention, thehydrocarbyl groups will have not more than one site of unsaturation e.g.ethylenic)

Illustrative linking groups have the following formulae:

--CH₂ CO--

--ch₂ c(nh)--

--coch₂ ch₂ co--

--cochchco--

--ch₂ conhch₂ co--

--coch₂ n(ch₃)ch₂ co--

--ch₂ ch₂ c(nh)--

--coch₂ ch₂ och₂ ch₂ co--

--coch₂ och₂ co--

--ch₂ chchco--

the compounds which find use for conjugation to the poly(amino acid)will for the most part have the following formula: ##STR3## wherein:

R¹ is a bond or linking group of from 1 to 12 atoms other than hydrogen,more usually of from 1 to 6 atoms other than hydrogen and preferably offrom about 1 to 5 atoms other than hydrogen, which are carbon, oxygen,nitrogen and sulfur, wherein the characteristics set forth for carbon,oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur are as set forth for R;

Z is oxocarbonyl (CHO), or non-oxo-carbonyl (includes thenitrogen-imido- and sulfur-thiono-analogs) carboxyl, carboxyester,wherein the ester group is nitrophenyl or N-succinimidyloxy,alkoxyimido, wherein the alkoxy group is of from 1 to 3 carbon atoms,isothiocyanate, or isocyanate.

The oxo group may be linked to available amino groups by reductiveamination. The carboxylic acid groups and their nitrogen and sulfuranalogs may be linked directly to available amino groups either byemploying active esters, activating with carbodiimide or preparing amixed anhydride with a chlorocarbonate ester e.g. alkoxycarbonyl of from2 to 7 carbon atoms.

As indicated previously, of particular interest are compounds where theoxo-carbonyl group (other than keto) and the non-oxo-carbonyl group arebonded to an amino group, which is part of an antigenic polypeptide orprotein. By bonding the carbonyl derivative of xanthine to thepolypeptide or protein, antibodies can be formed to theophylline, whichdistinguish from caffeine in a competitive protein binding assay. Anarrower class of proteins, which also can be used as antigens, but willbe normally be used as such, are enzymes which are employed as thedetector in an immunoassay system. As antigens, inactive enzymes can beused.

Polypeptides (referred to generally in the invention as poly(aminoacid)) usually encompass from about 2 to 100 amino acid units (usuallyless than about 12,000 molecular weight). Larger polypeptides arearbitrarily called proteins. Proteins are usually composed of from 1 to20 polypeptide chains called subunits, which are associated by covalentor noncovalent bonds. Subunits are normally of from about 100 to 300amino acid groups (or 10,000 to 35,000 molecular weight). For thepurposes of this invention, poly(amino acid) is intended to includeindividual polypeptide units and polypeptides which are subunits orpolypeptide units in combination with other functional groups, such asporphyrins, as in haemoglobin or cytochrome oxidase.

The number of xanthine groups will vary depending upon whether thepoly(amino acid) is an enzyme or antigen. The maximum number of groupswill be limited by the effect of substitution on solubility, activity,and the like. For the formation of antibodies, a sufficient number ofxanthine groups should be present, so as to provide a satisfactoryharvest of antibodies to the theophylline (anti(theophylline)).Otherwise, the proportion of antibodies to theophylline as compared toantibodies to other compounds may be undesirably low.

The first group of protein materials or polypeptides which will beconsidered are the antigenic polypeptides. These may be joined to thecarbonyl group of the theophylline analog through an amino group. Theproduct can be used for the formation of antibodies to theophylline. Theprotein materials which may be used will vary widely, and will normallybe from 5,000 to 10 million molecular weight, more usually 25,000 to500,000 molecular weight.

Enzymes will normally be of molecular weights in the range of about10,000 to 600,000, usually in the range of about 10,000 to 150,000, andmore usually in the range of 12,000 to 80,000. Some enzymes will have aplurality of enzyme subunits. It is intended when speaking of enzymemolecular weights to refer to the entire enzyme. There will be on theaverage at least about one xanthine per enzyme, usually at least abouttwo xanthines per enzyme, when the labeling is not limited to a specificamino group, and rarely more than 40 xanthines per enzyme, usually notmore than 30 xanthines per enzyme. For example with lysozyme the averagenumber of xanthine groups will be in the range of about 2 to 5. Forglucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase the averagenumber will be in the range of 2 to 20, usually 2 to 12.

While the theophylline analog may be bonded through the non-oxo-carbonylgroup to hydroxyl or mercapto groups, which are present in the proteins,for the most part the bonding will be to amino. Therefore, the compoundsare described as amides (including nitrogen and thioanalogs e.g. amidineand thioamide. Also included within the non-oxo-carboxyl derivatives areurea, guanidine and thiourea.), although esters and thioesters may alsobe present. The aldehyde derivative will be bonded solely to amino toform alkylamine groups through reductive amination.

Amino acids present in proteins which have free amino groups for bondingto the carboxy modified xanthine includes lysine, N-terminal aminoacids, etc. The hydroxyl and mercaptan containing amino acids includeserine, cysteine, tyrosine and threonine.

Various protein and polypeptide types may be employed as the antigenicmaterial. These types include albumins, enzymes, serum proteins, e.g.,globulins, ocular lens proteins, lipoproteins, etc. Illustrativeproteins include bovine serum albumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, eggalbumin, bovine gamma-globulin, etc. Small neutral polypeptides whichare immunogenic such as gramicidins may also be employed. Varioussynthetic polypeptides may be employed, such as polymers of lysine,glutamic acid, phenylalanine, tyrosine, etc., either by themselves or incombination. Of particular interest is polylysine or a combination oflysine and glutamic acid. Any synthetic polypeptide must contain asufficient number of free amino groups as, for example, provided bylysine.

The second group of protein molecules are the detectors. These are theenzymes to which the carbonyl modified xanthine may be conjugated. Asindicated, the xanthine modified enzyme is useful for immunoassays. Adescription of the immunoassay technique will follow.

Various enzymes may be used such as peptidases, esterases, amidases,phosphorylases, carbohydrases, oxidases, e.g. dehydrogenase, reductases,and the like. Of particular interest are enzymes such as lysozyme,peroxidase, α-amylase, dehydrogenases, particularly malate dehydrogenaseand glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase,β-glucuronidase, cellulase and phospholipase. In accordance with theI.U.B. Classification, the enzymes of interest are: 1. Oxidoreductases,particularly Group 1.1, and more particularly 1.1.1, and 1.11, moreparticularly, 1.11.1; and 3. Hydrolases, particularly 3.2, and moreparticularly 3.2.1.

The enzyme-bound-theophylline will for the most part have the followingformula: ##STR4## wherein:

ENZ is an enzyme, preferably an oxidoreductase or hydrolase,particularly oxidoreductases employing DPN or DPNP e.g. dehydrogenases,oxiodases and peroxidases or hydrolases, including esterases, e.g.phosphatases, lysozyme, and the like; the enzyme has at least 2% of itsoriginal activity, generally at least 10%, more usually at least 20% andpreferably at least 30% of its original activity;

n¹ is an integer which on the average is in the range of 1 to themolecular weight of the enzyme divided by about 2,000, more usually inthe range of about 1 to 30, preferably in the range of 1 to 20, and morepreferably in the range of about 2 to 16;

R² is a linking group which may be a bond or a divalent organic radicalof from 1 to 10 atoms other than hydrogen, which are carbon, oxygen,nitrogen and sulfur, particularly carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, and moreparticularly carbon and oxygen, the oxygen being present as oxy ornon-oxocarbonyl, that is, bonded solely to carbon, and the nitrogen isamido or bonded solely to carbon as tertiary-amino, while sulfur ispresent as thiono; usually, R² is aliphatic having from 0 to 1 site ofethylenic unsaturation, preferably saturated, and will be of from 1 to 6carbon atoms, more usually of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferablymethylene or polymethylene; and

X, X¹, m have been defined previously.

The enzymes which are employed are preferably inhibited when thexanthine groups conjugated to the enzyme are bound to antibodies for thexanthine groups ie. anti(theophylline). The inhibition at saturationwith anti(theophylline) should be at least 20% of the activity of theconjugated enzyme, usually at least 30% and preferably at least 40%,generally not more than 90%.

In forming the various amide product which find use in the subjectinvention, the carboxylic acid will normally be activated. This can beachieved in a number of ways. Two ways of particular interest are thereaction with a carbodiimide, usually a water soluble dialiphatic ordicycloaliphatic carbodiimide in an inert polar solvent, e.g.dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, THF, DMSO, and hexamethylphosphoramide.The reaction is carried out by bringing the various reagents togetherunder mild conditions and allowing sufficient time for the reaction tooccur.

A second method is to form a mixed anhydride employing an alkylchloroformate, e.g. isobutyl chloroformate. The mixed anhydride isformed by combining the carboxy substituted xanthine, the alkylchloroformate and tertiary amine. The temperature is normally belowambient temperature and a small amount of carbitol may be used.

At least a stoichiometric amount of the chloroformate is employed basedon the xanthine derivative, and usually an excess, which ususally doesnot exceed three times stoichiometric. The tertiary amine is present inat least equimolar amount to the chloroformate.

The mixture is then combined with the amino compound to be conjugatedand the reaction allowed to proceed under mild conditions.

Also, esters of the carboxy modified xanthine can be employed which areoperative in water for acylating amine functions. Illustrativehydroxylic groups are p-nitrophenyl and N-hydroxy succinimide which canbe used to prepare the p-nitrophenyl and N-succinimidyloxy estersrespectively. For the aldehyde conjugation, a reductive amination iscarried out in a polar, usually aqueous medium, employing sodiumcyanoborohydride as the reducing agent.

A novel and simple procedure is provided for the production of1-methyl-3-substituted-xanthines free of other isomers. The startingmaterial is 1-methylxanthine which is condensed with an approximatelystoichiometric amount halomethyl pivalate (halo of atomic number 17 to35, particularly chloro) under basic conditions in a polar anhydrousnon-hydroxylic organic medium e.g. DMF, THF, DMSO, HMP, etc. Mildtemperatures are employed 0° t 50° C., ambient temperatures beingconvenient. The base may be the nitrogen salt, sodium carbonate,tert-amine, etc. The reaction is allowed to proceed to completion andthe mono-substituted-pivaloyloxymethyl derivative separated from anyminor amounts of disubstituted material.

The 7-substituted product is isolated and combined with an alkyl esterof halosubstituted aliphatic carboxylic acid. The halo is of atomicnumber 17 to 53 preferably iodo, and is preferably co-substituted. Thealkyl group of the alcohol portion is of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms,preferably 1 to 2 carbon atoms and the acid group is of from 2 to 7carbon atoms. A basic anhydrous non-hydroxylic polar medium is employed,as described above, employing analogous reaction conditions.

After isolating the product, the ester groups are hydrolyzed underconventional conditions. Aqueous base may be employed at a temperatureof from about 75° to 100° C. Upon acidification of the solution thedesired 1-methyl-3-carboxylalkylxanthine may be isolated.

The antibodies which are prepared in response to the conjugated antigensof this invention have strong specific binding to the parent drug, theconjugated antigen, the compound or derivative thereof used to conjugateto the antigen, and the enzyme conjugate.

The assay will be able to detect theophylline in the concentration range0 to 100 μg/ml and should be able to distinguish between no theophyllineand 5 μg/ml, preferably 2.5 μg/ml. Normally, the sample of interest willbe serum, although other sample sources may be employed.

The assay will generally be carried out by combining in an aqueousbuffered medium, generally at a pH in the range of 5 to 10, more usually6 to 9, the sample to be assayed, enzyme-bound-theophylline andanti(theophylline). Besides water up to 20 volume percent of polarorganic solvents may be included in the assay medium, e.g. alkanols,ethers, amides, etc.

The amounts of the reagents will vary depending upon the enzyme activityof the enzyme-bound-theophylline, the degree of inhibition resultingfrom binding of anti(theophylline) to the enzyme-bound-theophylline, themanner of measurement, the sensitivity of the reagent combination tovariations in the concentration of theophylline, the binding constant ofthe anti(theophylline) and the like. The primary concern is that areasonable spread of measured values can be obtained over thetheophylline range of interest. When measuring changes in opticaldensity due to changes in the light absorption of the assay medium as aresult of an enzymatic transformation, over a theophylline concentrationrange of about 0 to 50 μg/ml, the measured change in absorption shouldbe at least about 0.25ΔOD, preferably at least 0.5ΔOD.

Usually, the mole ratio of anti(theophylline) based on binding sites totheophylline in enzyme-bound-theophylline will be about 0.01-100:1. Theconcentration of enzyme-bound-theophylline will generally be in therange of about 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻¹⁰,

Included in the assay medium will be the enzyme substrates. Usually, oneof the substrates will be transformed to a product which has adistinctive absorption in the ultraviolet or visible region.Conveniently enzymes can be employed which transform NAD or NADP to NADHor NADPH and the formation of NADH or NADPH followedspectrophotometrically. By taking two readings at a particularwavelength over a predeterminted time period, a rate value can beobtained which relates to the enzymatic activity. By employing the sameprotocol with an unknown sample as employed with samples spiked withknown concentrations of theophylline, the result obtained can betranslated into a theophylline concentration.

Temperatures for the assay will generally be in the range of about10°-50° C., usually in the range 25°-40° C.

EXPERIMENTAL

The following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by wayof limitation. (All percents not otherwise indicated are by weight,except for mixtures of liquids which are by volume. All temperatures nototherwise indicated are centigrade. Abbreviations include DMF forN,N-dimethylformamide; TLC, thin layer chromotography; ECDI,1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride; THF,tetrahydrofuran.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of 1-methyl-7-pivaloyloxymethyl xanthine

To a mixture of 1-methylxanthine (844 mg, 5.08 mmoles) and sodiumcarbonate (538 mg, 5.08 mmoles) in 20 ml of dry DMF under nitrogen wasslowly added over a period of 1 hour a solution of chloromethylpivalate(828 μl, 5.59 mmole) in 6 ml DMF at room temperature and the reactionmixture stirred overnight. The mixture was filtered, the filtrateevaporated to dryness and the residue triturated with 50 ml of 10 vol.%. EtOH/CHCl₃. The solids obtained were starting material and theorganic phase was chromatographed (10 vol. % EtOH/CHCl₃) on silica gelplates. Two products were observed by eluting with 125 ml of 10 vol. %EtOH/CHCl₃ and the band R_(f), 0.48 obtained as 365 mg of the desiredproduct. The other band proved to be the 3,7-disubstituted material.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of1-methyl-3-(carboethoxypropyl)-7-(pivaloyloxymethyl)xanthine

A mixture of 1-methyl-7-(pivaloyloxymethyl)xanthine (350 mg, 1.25 mmes)sodium carbonate (265 mg, 2.50 mmoles) and ethyl 4-iodobutyrate (384 μl,2.50 mmole) in 5.8 ml dry DMF was stirred under nitrogen at roomtemperature for 18 hours. Water was added and the reaction mixtureextracted with chloroform. After drying, the extracts were stripped toleave a yellow oil which goes to chromotographed on four thick silicagel plates with 10% EtOH/CHCl₃. The band was scraped off and eluted with100 ml of 25% EtOH/CHCl₃ to yield 609 mg of the desired product as anoil.

EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of 1-methyl-3-(3'-carboxypropyl)xanthine

An oily suspension of1-methyl-3(carboethoxypropyl)-7-(pivaloyloxymethyl)xanthine (508 mg) in2 N NaOH(36.2 ml) was heated under nitrogen at 95°-100° for 2 hrs. Theoil dissolved and the reaction was shown to be complete by TLC. Aftercooling the reaction mixure, it was acidified to pH 2-3 with 15 ml 12%hydrochloric acid and the solution extracted with 3×5 ml chloroform toremove the pivalic acid. After washing the chloroform extracts with 5 ml0.5 N HCl, the aqueous solutions were combined and stripped to drynessand the residue dried in vacuo at room temperature. The crude productwas dissolved in about 22 ml hot water, decolorized and concentrated to15 ml, at which time 159 mg of a crystalline product was obtained uponcooling. m.p. 220°-221°.

EXAMPLE 4 Conjugation of 1-methyl-3-(3'-carboxypropyl)xanthine withbovine gamma globulin

To a clear solution of 1-methyl-3-(3-carboxypropyl)xanthine (45 mg,0.178 mmole) in 1.5 ml DMF was added N-hydroxysuccinimide (20.5 mg,0.178 mmole) and EDCI (39.1 mg, 0.20 mmole) at 0° under nitrogen. Afterstirring the solution at 5° for 18 hours, the reaction mixture was addedto a solution of bovine gamma globulin (550 mg) in a mixture of 27 mlcarbonate buffer (ph9, 0.05 M) and DMF at 0° and the mixture maintainedat this temperature for a period of 1.5 hours, while maintaining the pHat 8.5-9.0 using 1 N NaOH. After stirring the mixture overnight at 5°,the product was dialyzed against 10×4 l. water and 3×4 l. ammoniumhydroxide. Lyophilization of the conjugate yielded 470 mg of protein.Employing a spectrophotometric technique, the hapten number wasdetermined to be 15.

EXAMPLE 5 Preparation of 3-(2'-cyanoethyl)-1-methylxanthine

Into a reaction flask was introduced7-pivaloyloxymethyl-1-methylxanthine (100 mg) dissolved in 1.42 ml DMF,44.17 mg sodium carbonate and 47 μl acrylonitrile. After heating at 100°for 16 hours, the mixture was poured into water and the aqueous mixtureextracted with chloroform. The chloroform extracts were dried andevaporated and the oily residue chromatographed twice on silica gelplates, and the band eluted with 75 ml of 25% ethanol/chloroform (v/v)to give 109 mg of an oily product which solidified on standing. mp118-120.

The above nitrile (109 mg) was suspended in 0.35 ml 1 N sodium hydroxideand 0.35 ml of THF added. The mixture was stirred at room temperaturefor 3.5 hours, followed by the addition of 0.2 ml of 1 N sodiumhydroxide and stirring continued for an additional 0.5 hour. The mixturewas then poured into about 2 ml water, the aqueous solution acidifiedand extracted exhaustively with chloroform. The chloroform extracts werewashed with 8% sodium bicarbonate, followed by drying and evaporation todryness. The residue was chromotographed on two silica gel plates (10%EtOH/HCCl₃) and eluted with 125 ml 25% EtOH/HCCl₃. Evaporation todryness yield 50 mg of the desired product.

The subject nitrile can be readily modified to the imidoester and usedfor conjugation to amino groups present in poly(amino acids) to provideamidine linkages.

EXAMPLE 6 Conjugation of 3-carboxypropyl-1-methylxanthine toglucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

A lyophilized powder of G6PDH was dissolved in 0.055 M tris-HCl, pH 8.1,to a protein concentration of about 2-3 mg/ml. The mixture was allowedto stand overnight at 4°.

Into a reaction flask was introduced 3-carboxypropyl-1-methylxanthine(36 mg, 0.14 mmoles), 16.4 mg of N-hydroxy succinimide, 31.4 mg of ECDIand 400 μl of DMF and the mixture stirred overnight at 4°.

To 5 ml of the above G6PDH solution is added 50 mg glucose-6-phosphatedisodium salt, 100 mg of NADH and 1.5 ml of carbitol and the pH adjustedto about 8.5-9 with 2 N sodium hydroxide. Almost the entire 400 μl ofthe ester prepared above is added to the stirring enzyme solution in 10μl increments over a 2 hour period while maintaining the solution at 4°.During the reaction the pH drops to 7.5-8. The resulting conjugate isthen dialyzed at 4° against 0.055 M tris HCl, pH 8.1, containing aspreservatives 0.5% sodium azide and 0.005% thimerosal.

In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the subject compositions inan assay for theophylline, a number of assays were carried out.

In carrying out the assay, a Gilford 300 N Microsample Spectrophotometeris employed, with a Thermo-cuvette with a flow cell. All readings aremade at 340 nm. The following solutions are prepared as reagents for usein the assay:

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                        Buffer:     0.055M tris-HCl, pH 8.1 (RT)                                                  0.05% sodium azide                                                            0.005% Thimerosal                                                 Enzyme conjugate:                                                                         Buffer                                                                        0.9% NaCl                                                                     1.0% RSA,* pH 8.1 (RT)                                                        sufficient enzyme conjugate (Ex. 1)                                           to give a rate of ΔOD in the                                            range of 350-500                                                              in the assay medium.                                              Assay Buffer:                                                                             Buffer                                                                        0.5% NaCl                                                                     0.01% (v/v) Triton X-100, pH 8.1 (RT)                             Antibody Reagent:                                                                         Buffer                                                                        1.0% RSA                                                                      1-methylxanthine 1.67μg/ml                                                 G6P (Na)  0.066M                                                              NAD    0.04M                                                                  pH 5 (RT)                                                                     antitheophylline optimized for assay                                          All % unless otherwise indicated                                              are w/v (g/ml)                                                    ______________________________________                                         *RSA-rabbit serum albumin                                                

The protocol employed for carrying out an assay is as follows. 50 μl ofthe sample is drawn up into a diluter and dispensed with 250 μl of theassay buffer into a 1 ml Croan cup. A 50 μl aliquot of the dilutedsample is drawn up and dispensed with a 250 μl portion of assay bufferinto a second Croan cup. Into the second Croan cup is introduced 50 μlof the antibody reagent with 250 μl of the assay buffer, followed by theaddition of 50 μl of the enzyme reagent and 250 μl of the assay buffer.Immediately after the enzyme addition, the entire sample is aspiratedinto the flow cell. After 15 sec. a first reading is taken, followed bya second reading after a thirty second interval. The results arereported as the difference in absorbance×2.667.

The following table indicates the results obtained with a number ofsamples having known amounts of theophylline.

                  TABLE II                                                        ______________________________________                                        Theophylline                                                                  Conc. in Sample    ΔODx                                                 μg/ml           2.667                                                      ______________________________________                                        0                  163                                                        2.5                201                                                        5                  221                                                        10                 244                                                        20                 267                                                        40                 292                                                        ______________________________________                                    

By graphing the above results on semilog paper, one can then determinethe concentration of theophylline in a sample suspected of containingtheophylline by comparing the ΔOD obtained with the unknown sample withthe concentration-ΔOD plot obtained with the above results.

It is found that the cross-reactivity due to 1-methylxanthine can beeffectively damped by the addition of a small amount of 1-methylxanthineto the antibody reagent, generally a sufficient amount to provide fromabout 1 to 20, preferably 2 to 15 μg/ml in the assay medium. In thismanner, false positives can be avoided, where 1-methylxanthine ispresent to any extent in the serum sample to be assayed.

A cross-reactivity study was made with a wide variety of similarilystructured compounds. The subject assay must be able to distinguishbetween ubiquitous compounds of analogous structures to theophylline,such as caffeine and its metabolites, in order to insure an accurateresult. Compounds studied for cross-reactivity were caffeine,1,3-dimethyluric acid, theobromine, 1-methylxanthine and3-methylxanthine. When samples were spiked with 100 μg/ml of thesecompounds, with the one exception of 1-methylxanthine, the observedvalue was below the value obtained with 2.5 μg/ml of theophylline. Theone exception was 1-methylxanthine where 100 μg/ml of 1-methylxanthineis equivalent to 5-10 μg/ml concentration of theophylline. However, asindicated above, when a small amount of 1-methylxanthine is employed inthe assay medium, substantially no effect is seen by the addition offurther 1-methylxanthine.

It is evident from the above results, that the subject inventionprovides a sensitive assay for measuring theophylline in physiologicalfluids, particularly serum. The assay protocol provides fordistinguishing theophylline at extremely low concentrations fromcompounds having extremely similar structures. Furthermore, the protocolis simple, fast, and is readily carried out on a conventionalspectrophotometer.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A compound of the formula ##STR5## wherein: R¹ isa aliphatic linking group having from 0 to 1 site of ethylenicunsaturation and of from 1 to 6 atoms other than hydrogen which arecarbon, oxygen and not more than one nitrogen, wherein said oxygen ispresent as the carbonyl of amido or non-terminal ether and said nitrogenis present as the nitrogen of amido or tert-amino; andZ is aldehydo,carboxy, p-nitrophenyl or N-succinimidyloxy carboxyester, alkoxyimido,wherein the alkoxy group is of from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or cyano.
 2. Acompound according to claim 1, wherein R¹ is alkylene and Z is acarboxylic acid.
 3. A compound according to claim 1, wherein Z is acarboxylic acid.
 4. A compound according to claim 1, wherein R¹ isalkylene and Z is cyano.
 5. A compound of the formula: ##STR6##